pesticide

noun

pes·​ti·​cide ˈpe-stə-ˌsīd 

: an agent used to destroy pests

pesticidal

ˌpe-stə-ˈsī-dᵊl 

adjective

Examples of pesticide in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

There’s Tanner, the middle of three boys who lives in his hometown and pilots a plane for the family business that sprays pesticides on crops. — Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026

If pests or diseases like fungal infections are to blame, the next step is to apply an appropriate fungicide or natural pesticide. — The Spruce, 8 Sep. 2026

This January, the enforcement division noted in an industry bulletin that problems with that program persist, leading to recalls and advisories for unsafe levels of pesticides. — Christopher Osher, ProPublica, 4 Sep. 2026

The researchers hope that in the future it will be used to identify counterfeit perfumes, detect pesticide contamination in olive oil, and offer better quality control across agriculture in general. — Maryna Holovnova, New Atlas, 31 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1925, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing pesticide

• anti-pesticide

Rhymes for pesticide

• actinide
• aldehyde
• alkoxide
• alongside
• amplified
• arsenide
• beautified
• biocide
• bisulphide
• butoxide
• calcified
• ceramide

Kids Definition

pesticide

noun

pes·​ti·​cide ˈpes-tə-ˌsīd 

: a substance used to destroy pests

pesticidal

ˌpes-tə-ˈsīd-ᵊl

adjective

Medical Definition

pesticide

noun

pes·​ti·​cide ˈpes-tə-ˌsīd 

: an agent used to destroy pests